Roof rack crossbar

Abstract

A roof rack assembly includes a cross bar and a tail that is securable to the cross bar. Optionally, the tail has a hardness that is less than a hardness of the cross bar. Optionally, an engagement member is secured to one of the cross bar and the tail and is engageable with the other of the cross bar and the tail to secure the tail to the cross bar.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A cross bar assembly comprising:
 a cross bar including a leading edge that defines a forwardmost edge of the cross bar assembly, a tapering trailing edge, an upper side that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and a lower side that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge, the cross bar comprising a first material having a hardness; and 
 a tail that is securable to the trailing edge of the cross bar, the tail including a trailing edge that defines a rewardmost edge of the cross bar assembly, the tail comprising a second material having a hardness that is less than a hardness of the first material of the cross bar. 
 
     
     
       2. The cross bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tail includes an upper leg and a lower leg, the upper leg extends from the upper side of the cross bar to the trailing edge of the tail and the lower leg extends from the lower side of the cross bar to the trailing edge of the tail when the tail is secured to the cross bar, and wherein outer surfaces of the respective cross bar upper side and tail upper leg define a continuous upper surface that extends from the cross bar leading edge to the tail trailing edge, and outer surfaces of the respective cross bar lower side and the tail lower leg define a continuous lower surface that extends from the cross bar leading edge to the tail trailing edge. 
     
     
       3. The cross bar assembly of  claim 1 , wherein one of the cross bar and the tail includes an engagement member that secures the tail to the cross bar. 
     
     
       4. The cross bar assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the trailing edge of the cross bar includes a wall extending between the upper and lower sides, the tail includes the engagement member, and the engagement member is secured to the wall. 
     
     
       5. The cross bar assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the wall of the cross bar at least partially defines an elongated channel and the engagement member is received in the channel. 
     
     
       6. The cross bar assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the wall of the cross bar includes a first wall part extending downward from the upper side and a second wall part extending upwardly from the lower side, distal ends of the first and second wall parts spaced from one another to at least partially define the channel, and
 the engagement member includes a neck and a head extending from the neck, the head is received in the channel and the distal ends of the first and second wall parts flanking the neck. 
 
     
     
       7. The cross bar assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the tail includes a connecting wall extending between the upper and lower legs, the engagement member extends outwardly from the connecting wall, the first and second wall parts are positioned between the connecting wall and the head of the engagement member. 
     
     
       8. The cross bar assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the engagement member is comprised of a third material having a hardness less than the hardness of the first material and greater than the hardness of the second material. 
     
     
       9. The cross bar assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the engagement member is coextruded with the tail. 
     
     
       10. The cross bar assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the wall of the cross bar includes a separate receiving member defining an elongated channel that receives the engagement member. 
     
     
       11. The cross bar assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving member is positioned in a space defined by the upper and lower legs of the tail. 
     
     
       12. The cross bar assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the tail includes an elongated channel and the wall of the cross bar includes the engagement member received in the channel of the tail. 
     
     
       13. The cross bar assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the tail includes a connecting wall extending between the upper and lower legs, the connecting wall at least partially defines the channel, and
 the engagement member includes a neck and a head extending from the neck, the head received in the channel, the connecting wall abutting the wall of the cross bar. 
 
     
     
       14. The cross bar assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the tail includes a separate receiving member located in a space defined by and secured to the upper and lower legs, the receiving member including the elongated channel. 
     
     
       15. A cross bar assembly comprising:
 a unitary, one-piece cross bar including a leading edge that defines a forwardmost edge of the cross bar assembly and a trailing edge, an upper side that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and a lower side that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge; 
 a tail that is securable to the cross bar, the tail including an upper leg that extends from the upper side to a tail trailing edge, and a lower leg that extends from the lower side to the tail trailing edge when the tail is secured to the cross bar; and 
 an engagement member positioned on the tail that is engageable with the cross bar to secure the tail to the cross bar, 
 wherein the trailing edge of the cross bar includes a wall extending between the upper and lower sides, and the engagement member is secured to the wall. 
 
     
     
       16. The cross bar assembly of  claim 15 , wherein outer surfaces of the respective cross bar upper side and tail upper leg define a continuous upper surface that extends from the cross bar leading edge to the tail trailing edge, and outer surfaces of the respective cross bar lower side and the tail lower leg define a continuous lower surface that extends from the cross bar leading edge to the tail trailing edge when the tail is secured to the cross bar, and wherein the wall of the cross bar includes an elongated channel that receives the engagement member. 
     
     
       17. The cross bar assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the engagement member is at least partially positioned between the upper and lower legs of the tail, the tail comprising a hardness and the engagement member comprising a higher hardness than the tail, and the engagement member is coextruded with the tail. 
     
     
       18. A cross bar assembly comprising:
 a unitary, one-piece cross bar comprising a hardness, the cross bar including:
 a leading edge and a trailing edge, 
 an upper side that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge, 
 a lower side that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and 
 the trailing edge includes a wall extending between the upper and lower sides; 
 
 a tail comprising a hardness that is less than the hardness of the cross bar, the tail is separate from and securable to the cross bar, the tail including:
 a tail leading edge and a tail trailing edge, 
 an upper leg that extends from the upper side between the tail leading edge and the tail trailing edge when the tail is secured to the cross bar, and 
 a lower leg that extends from the lower side between the tail leading edge and the tail trailing edge when the tail is secured to the cross bar; and 
 
 an engagement member comprising a hardness that is greater than the hardness of the tail and less than the hardness of the cross bar, the engagement member is positioned on one of the cross bar and the tail and is engageable with the other of the cross bar and the tail to secure the tail to the wall at the trailing edge of the cross bar. 
 
     
     
       19. A method of assembling a cross bar assembly comprising:
 providing a unitary, one-piece cross bar comprised of a first material, the cross bar includes a first end, a second end, a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper side having an outer surface that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge, and a lower side having an outer surface that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge; 
 providing an elongated tail separate from the cross bar, the tail comprised of a second material that is different than the first material and having a hardness that is less than a hardness of the first material of the cross bar, the tail including an upper leg and a lower leg; 
 providing an engagement member on one of the cross bar and the tail, the engagement member comprised of a third material having a hardness less than the hardness of the first material and greater than the hardness of the second material; 
 providing a receiving member for receiving the engagement member on the other of the cross bar and the tail; and 
 positioning the engagement member in the receiving member to interlock the cross bar and the tail.